1888 Mills Set to Shut Last Domestic Terry Manufacturing Plant
1888 Mills, a maker of terry healthcare apparel, bedding, and bath and kitchen towels, announced this week that it will shutter its Griffin, Ga., manufacturing facility.
The plant, which employed around 340 workers as of 2022, is slated to cease operation in April. The company pointed to rising operational costs as the impetus behind the decision to shutdown the operation. The facility runs roughly 50 looms, producing product for 1888’s retail and hospitality businesses.
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“We want to express our heartfelt appreciation to the Griffin community, our dedicated workforce, and our loyal customers for their unwavering support throughout our nearly 28-year journey,” said Rob Sayre, CEO, 1888 Mills. “The decision to close Griffin manufacturing was not an easy one, but necessary for our company’s continued growth and success.”
In 2003, 1888 Mills partnered with a manufacturer in Pakistan to form Feroze 1888 Mills Limited, which produces textiles for the company’s home, hospitality and healthcare segments. At the Heimtextil show earlier this month in Frankfurt, Feroze 1888 Mills Limited debuted a bio-engineered yarn produced in partnership with Danish material science company, Pond. The yarn was derived from corn husks, creating a soft, skin-friendly fabric.
1888 Mills launched in 1996, resurrecting a struggling towel manufacturing business that had been around since 1888, previously known as Kincaid Manufacturing. Headquartered in the small city of Griffin, about 40 miles south of Atlanta, the company leaned into a Made in the U.S.A. model, producing towels for private label brands at such retailers as Amazon and Walmart, as well as hospitality clients such as Hyatt Hotels.
The company’s Griffin manufacturing facility at one time expanded from 150,000 square feet to 500,000 square feet of space. 1888 Mills’ corporate offices, distribution operations and warehousing facilities will remain open in Griffin.
1888 Mills did not respond to a request for additional comment.
